T3R College Hoops Style Week 5

The old saying for midwestern style of football (read BIG TEN) of 3 yards and a cloud of dust, made its way into the basketball world last night. The Big Ten introduced a new saying; 3 points and a cloud of saw dust. Penn State defeated Illinois last night by the final score of 38-33. Not a halftime score of 38-33, that was the final score. These two teams combined for 71 points in 40 minutes last night, while 56 other NCAA Division 1 teams scored that many or more by themselves. And trust me, this game was no this low scoring due to the defense. Neither team shot over 30% for the game, and neither shot over 20% from 3-point range. Illinois did not attempt a foul shot the entire game. Both teams had as many or more missed shots (Illinois 35, PSU 33) than the Illini had points. Both teams also had the same number of turnovers as made baskets (Illinois 15, Penn State 13). This game set college basketball back 20 years, bring back the short shorts and no three-point line. What is even worse about these two teams performance last night was that they will do it all over again in State College to close the season March 5th. Please hide the women and kids!!!!

On to the Rankings!

1. Oklahoma Sooners (25-1, 11-0)
40 votes (2 first place votes)
Last week: W vs Texas Tech 95-74
This week: Saturday @ Texas, Monday vs Kansas
I am not so sure they are the best team in the country, but they have been impressive thus far. The Sooners are the only 1-loss team remaining in the country and deserve the number spot for at least this week. The Sooners have two tough tests this week in rivalry games with Texas and Kansas.

2. Pitt Panthers (24-2, 11-2)
38 votes
Last week: W vs Cincinnati 85-69, W @ #3 UCONN 76-68
This week: Saturday vs DePaul, Tuesday @ Providence
Pitt is coming off the most impressive win by any team in the country this season after beating the previous #1 ranked UCONN Huskies in Hartford. I think that at this moment, Pitt is playing the best basketball of anyone in the country, and I do not think many people would argue that.

3. UCONN Huskies (24-2, 12-2)
35 votes
Last week: W @ Seton Hall 62-54, L vs #2 Pitt 76-68
This week: Saturday vs South Florida, Wednesday @ #9 Marquette
UCONN has played a physical style of basketball throughout the entire Jim Calhoun Era and has had unbelievable success doing so. On Monday, Jamie Dixon and the Pitt Panthers beat Calhoun and Co. at their own game. The Huskies missed the defensive ability and scoring of Jerome Dyson and did not get much out of Mr. All Everything Hasheem Thabeet, who had a total of one more basket Monday night than anyone reading this.

3. North Carolina Tarheels (24-2, 10-2)
35 votes
Last week: W @ Miami 69-65, W vs North Carolina State 89-80
This week: Saturday @ Maryland
To me Carolina is far above everyone in the ACC, but looking at the ACC, it is not all that difficult this year. Sure, there is a bunch of talented teams, but nobody that has played consistently for a two or three game span. The scary thing is that Carolina seems to be starting to play down to its competition. Beating Miami by four and NC State by nine is not exactly making a statement, especially when the Heels had beaten both of these teams by 17 points earlier in the season.

5. Memphis Tigers (21-3, 9-0)
30 votes
Last week: W @ Southern Miss 72-47, W @ Southern Methodist 90-47
This week: Saturday @ UTEP
Memphis is once again strolling through the Conference USA schedule undefeated for the third straight year. The Tigers have won 53 straight games vs C-USA opponents. Keep in mind that C-USA is one step about Conference CYO.

6. Louisville Cardinals (20-5, 11-2)
29 votes
Last week: L @ Notre Dame 90-57, W vs DePaul 99-54, W vs Providence 94-76
This week: Saturday @ Cincinnati, Monday @ Georgetown
I still cannot shake that ND pounding out of my head. I think Rick Pitino may be one of the best coaches in the nation, as it has been said all year, Louisville has no leadership. Coaches provide leadership. Coaches teach leadership. Why this team has none, befuddles me.

7. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (20-4, 7-4)
27 votes
Last week: W vs Florida State 86-63, W vs Georgia Tech 87-69
This week: Sunday @ #15 Duke
For the first time since starting the conference off 3-0 the Demon Deacons have won consecutive games. To bad it had to come after losing 3 of 4 and 4 of 6.

8. Michigan State Spartans (20-5, 10-3)
26 votes
Last week: L @ Purdue 72-54
This week: Sunday vs Wisconsin, Wednesday vs Iowa
Just when you think there is hope for the Big Ten because of Tom Izzo and the Spartans they go out and lay an egg on national television. At least this loss was to a formidable opponent (Purdue), considering the other two conference losses were to Northwestern and Penn State.

9. Missouri Tigers (22-4, 9-2)
23 votes
Last week: W vs Nebraska 70-47
This week: Saturday @ Colorado, Wednesday vs Kansas State
After being last week’s first team out, the Missouri Tigers find themselves at the number nine spot. Mizzou started Big XII play off with a loss to Nebraska, but has won nine of 10 since, including five straight. The Tigers have not lost at home and have won 17 straight dating back to last season in Mizzou Arena. That should make for an interesting story line when Blake Griffin and the #1 Sooners come in to town March 4th for senior day.

9. Marquette Golden Eagles (22-4, 11-2)
23 votes
Last week: W vs St. John’s 73-59, W vs Seton Hall 79-67
This week: Saturday @ Georgetown, Wednesday vs #3 UCONN
The Golden Eagles had two gimme games last week before a brutal 5-game stretch to finish the year of @ Georgetown, UCONN, @ Louisville, @ Pitt and they finish home vs Syracuse. I have thought this team was getting by on beating up creampuffs all season; here is their chance to prove me wrong.

11. Villanova Wildcats (20-5, 8-4)
18 votes
Last week: L @ West Virginia 93-72
This week: Thursday vs Rutgers, Sunday @ Syracuse, Wednesday @ DePaul
Nova lost to a WVU team that has no true ball handler, and no true big man. What will happen to them when they play away from home against teams with both?

12. Arizona State Sun Devils (20-5, 9-4)
17 votes
Last week: W vs UCLA 74-67, W 65-53 vs USC
This week: Sunday vs Arizona
Normally being the best tem in the Pac-10 bets you a top five spot and a good chance at the 1-seed in the West Region, not this year. The Pac-10 is down, but the Sun Devils are up. Four teams with four losses each are atop the standings; Arizona State is playing the best of any right now. Timing is everything.

13. Clemson Tigers (21-4, 7-4)
14 votes
Last week: L @ Virginia 85-81, W vs Maryland 93-64
This week: Sunday @ Georgia Tech, Wednesday vs Virginia Tech
There is no excuse for losing to Virginia, none! Virginia stinks!

14. Gonzaga Bulldogs (19-5, 10-0)
13 votes
Last week: W @ St. Mary’s 72-70, W @ San Francisco 78-73
This week: Thursday vs Loyola Marymount, Saturday vs Pepperdine
Gonzaga has hit a plateau. Everyone knows the Zags can beat up on the all-powerful WCC, but they really cannot do much against the big teams they schedule in the non-conference. It is great when you schedule UCONN, Arizona and Memphis, but when you do not beat any of them it doesn’t mean jack.

15. Duke Blue Devils (20-5, 7-4)
11 votes
Last week: L @ Boston College 80-74
This week: Thursday @ St. John’s, Sunday vs #7 Wake Forest, Wednesday @ Maryland
I understand the Shane Battier “CHARGE” mentality at Duke, but when your 7-foot center is trying to take a charge on a 5-foot nothing guard you may have issues.

Normally the rankings are the Top 16, but we have a 3-way tie for the 16th spot, and honestly, I do not want to have to rank our first SEC team of the season, so I cut it off at 15 this week.

Others receiving votes: Kansas 10, LSU 10, Washington 10, Dayton 3, Purdue 2, Syracuse 2, UCLA 2.